UFC 165 winner Brendan Schaub likely due for quick return

TORONTO – It wasn’t long ago that heavyweight Brendan Schaub was in desperate need of a win. Now it sounds as if the UFC may be in desperate need of him.

“He might slide into a slot now where something else just fell out,” UFC President Dana White said at Saturday night’s UFC 165 post-event press conference. “We might have another fight for him soon.

“Tonight was an easy night for him, a little warm-up.”

Schaub entered 2013 mired in a two-fight losing streak that left some wondering if “The Ultimate Fighter 10″ finalist was on the verge of losing his job in the promotion. In February, he bounced back with a convincing win over Lavar Johnson, but he was criticized for doing so in rather unentertaining fashion.

On Saturday, Schaub (10-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) faced fellow “TUF 10″ fighter Matt Mitrione (6-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) on the main card of UFC 165, which took place at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. What started as a friendly rivalry between the two quickly escalated into a bit of a bitter confrontation as the pair’s pre-fight war of words took a few nasty turns.

But when the bell rang, Schaub was always one step ahead, using a blend of dynamic striking and grapplng to keep Mitrione guessing as to what was coming next before ultimately cinching up a D’Arce choke and putting “Meathead” to sleep.

“Whatever Matt did, I was just ready for,” Schaub said. “It was like his punches and everything were in slow motion. So it was just a matter of time.”

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